WHITE-TAILED TEOPIC BIED. 
Gulmen. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Middle Toe. 
Eodriguez ^ 
51 
273 
121 
33 
^ .. 
46 
265 
120 
31 
$ .. 
Pacific Ocean birds measure : 
48 
264 
118 
31 
Near Tongatabu $ 
41 
261 
108 
28 
Samoa 
44 
246 
107 
26-5 
Samoa 
47 
263 
111 
29 
Upolu, Samoa . . 
46 
258 
105 
27 
Navigators I. 
43 
271 
109 
28 
Pelew I. . . 
42 
258 
104 
28 
N. of New Guinea 
45 
260 
101 
27 
Criticism of the above figures show that the Pacific birds differ from the 
Indian Ocean birds in their slightly smaller size, the bill being somewhat 
noticeably so. Atlantic Ocean birds show small measurements like those of 
the Pacific, but have long bills like those of the Indian Ocean birds. 
There are half a dozen names, but these were all introduced for the same 
form. 
The earliest Phmton lepturus Daudin in Buff. Hist. Nat. ed. Didot, 18mo 
Quadr., Vol. XIV., p. 319, 1802, was given to the bird described in Oiseaux, 
Vol. XVI., p. 280, which quoted the Plan. Enlum., No. 369, and gave Mauritius 
as the type locality. This name was rescued from oblivion by Mr. C. D. 
Sherborn when engaged upon his monumental IndBx AnimaliuTYi, and was 
indicated to Ogilvie-Grant, at that time monographing the Family in the 
Catalogue of the Bivds in the Bvitish Museum’, the latter, the opportunity being 
thus presented, became, for the time being, an ultra -prioritarian, and at 
once made use of Daudin’s name, discarding as useless synon3mas the 
familiar PhcBthon candidus and P. flaviTostvis. These were based upon the 
same plate and description, so that this action was absolutely correct. \ 
Phaeton albus was proposed by Schinz and Brodtmann, Naturg. u AhUld 
Vogel. Gattungen, p. 402, 1830. The description is very brief and no locality 
is given. I therefore designate Mauritius, and this will become a synonym of 
Daudin’s P. lepturus. 
Brandt, in the Mem. VAcad. Imp. Sci. St. Petersb., Ser. 6, Vol. V., pt. 2, 
1840, monographed the PhsBthons, and on p. 270 proposed Phoethon catesbyi 
for the bird described and figured in Catesby’s Nat. Hist, of Carol, Vol. II., 
Edwards Edition, p. 114, pi. 14, 1771, and on p. 271 Phcethon edwardsii for 
the bird described and figured by Edwards, Nat. Hist. Birds, part iii 
p. 149, tab. 149, 1750. 
309 
